


Fighter

by ForiegnMoons



Category: RuPaul’s Drag Race RPF
Genre: Angst, Boxing, Eventual Smut, F/F, Gigi is big brain, Hurt/Comfort, It all ends up ok I promise, Jealousy, Lesbian AU, Martial Arts, Nicky is a bitch in this sorry, Nobody gets to be happy until I say so, Nothing severe but it is a UFC AU, Pining, Slow Burn, UFC au, Useless Lesbians, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:33:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27355048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForiegnMoons/pseuds/ForiegnMoons
Summary: “You’re resting on your laurels.”“Maybe, but I’m also going to be resting my legs on either side of your medic’s head.”OrCrystal has the biggest fight of her life coming up. She can’t afford and distractions. Between a former friend, a rekindled rivalry, and her feelings for her medic, distractions are aplenty for the up and coming fighter.
Relationships: Gigi Goode/Crystal Methyd, Nicky Doll/Gigi Goode
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	Fighter

**Author's Note:**

> Okay hiiiii! This has been something I’ve been teasing you guys with for a while now, but it’s finally here! Welcome of my UFC AU that I thought of while I was watching UFC a while ago. I’m really excited about this and I hope you are too. This chapter is for @themetaluna and @softgigi for encouraging my bullshit.  
> Without further ado, enjoy! ~Moons!💞

  
“You got her good.”

“Hmm?”

“Vanessa. The last hit before the bell? Your foot hit almost directly on her cerebellum. And before that when you were grappling you hit close to her frontal lobe. With the impact of those strikes she’s got to be feeling the effects. I don’t know what it is with you and your headshots, but they’re going to win you this match.” 

“With all due respect, I have no idea what any of that means.” A loud and admonishing sigh filled the corner.

“What it _means_ is that she’s going to be off balance and her decision making is slowed. Use it. Head up.” Crystal complied with the directions. A damp piece of cotton that smelled strongly of alcohol brushed over Crystal’s forehead. 

“Fuck, woman! Are you trying to kill me?” Crystal swatted the medic’s hand away, earning herself a pointed glare. 

“No, if I was trying to kill you, I’d inject a lethal amount of oxygen into your veins.” The fighter’s mouth fell open in shock. She watched in stunned silence as the lanky woman scoured through her med bag. When the brunette doctor turned around she flashed Crystal her dazzling smile. 

“Relax, Crys! I’m kidding! I could never kill you. I’m far too pretty for prison. Plus, I’d miss my little tiger too much!” Crystal blushed at the affectionate adaptation of her ring name. She hoped the younger woman would chalk it up to the natural redness that developed during the fight.

“I need you to hold still for me, okay? This is gonna sting a little bit.” Gigi didn’t give Crystal time to respond before she was tilting Crystal’s head up and dabbing neosporin on the open wound. The redhead let out a hiss and recoiled from the cotton swab. Gigi rolled her eyes and continued to wipe away the dried blood.

“You know, for a professional fighter you’re kind of a baby. Hold this.” Crystal held the gauze to the cut on her forehead. 

“You know, for a doctor your bedside manner is shit.” The snarky remark earned Crystal one of Gigi’s signature disapproving stares and a subtle middle finger. 

“Let me put this bandage on you and you’re free of me.” 

“If there’s one thing I don’t want, it’s to be free of you.” Allowing the bandaid to be placed on her forehead, Crystal took the moment to look at her medic. Even though she had known Gigi for almost two years, she still wasn’t used to how beautiful the girl was. Her jet-black hair framed her sharp bone structure. The dark tresses were a fascinating contrast to her pale blue eyes, framed by round glasses that were constantly slipping down to the tip of her button nose. Getting Crystal started on the woman’s full lips and model-like body would be opening a sapphic floodgate that would never close again.

Crystal had been hopelessly in love with Gigi pretty much as soon as she met her. Anyone with a sense of basic social cues could see that. Except for Gigi, apparently. As terribly cliche as it was, they had bumped into each other at the coffee shop next door to Crystal’s gym where she trained. Gigi’s books had gone spilling everywhere and Crystal immediately stopped to pick them up for her. Gigi frantically tried to reorganize the papers that had fluttered to the ground around them, all while apologizing profusely. Crystal had waved her off, insisting that it was her fault and that she make it up to her by buying her a coffee. 

From that point on, the two had been inseparable. As soon as Gigi had finished medical school, graduating two years early thanks to what Crystal called her “megamind”, she had offered to become Crystal’s medic. Thrilled at the idea of keeping the beautiful brunette around her, Crystal agreed without hesitation. She hadn’t stopped to think for a second that working in such close and constant proximity to the woman she was undeniably falling in love with wasn’t the best plan of action. 

  
To be fair, Crystal wasn’t much of a planner. Gigi usually handled things like scheduling and public appearances. Gigi handled everything, actually. Sometimes their friend Widow would tease the two that they were like an old married couple. Crystal didn’t mind the idea, but Gigi was always in a rush to brush the notion aside. It’s not that Crystal wasn’t good enough to have a proper manager, she just didn’t want one. Between Gigi, an odd but wonderful woman named Yvie who coached her, herself, and her cat, they handled things pretty well.

The familiar and always welcome smell of Gigi’s coconut and lavender shampoo brought Crystal back to the moment. Strangely enough, she was thankful for the injuries she got. It gave her a chance to look at Gigi without arousing suspicions from inquiring minds. She watched in silence as Gigi’s nimble fingers smoothed down the edges of the bandage and she stepped back with a proud smile.

“Alrighty, you’re all patched up. Go get em’ tiger.” Gigi gave Crystal a playful punch in the shoulder and handed the older woman her gloves. Giving her a thankful smile, Crystal accepted them and quickly wrapped her hands before ducking back under the ropes of the octagon. 

The familiar high that came from the crowd cheering her name rushed through her veins. Countless faces shrouded in dark shadows and over dramatic lighting surrounded the ring.

“Both fighters ready?” The two women in the ring each gave a short nod to the ref. “Touch gloves.” Crystal rolled her eyes at the custom, but tapped her knuckles against her opponent’s. Stepping back, she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. When the bell rang, she was off. 

  
  
Right away she could see that Gigi’s assessments were correct. Her opponent looked shaken and a bit confused. Crystal didn’t have to wait long before Vanessa made a mistake. While dodging a routine jab, the brunette lost her footing, landing awkwardly on her back foot and leaving a perfect opening on her left.

_‘Wait for her to mess up in her stance then step to her weak side. Sweep kick, headlock, done.’_ Crystal ran through her game plan before striking.

  
The window of opportunity presented was small, but that didn’t stop Crystal from surging forward and getting low to the ground. Panic flashed through Vanessa’s eyes for a moment before Crystal steadied herself on the mat and kicked the woman’s legs out from under her. The crowd roared and shouted, but the only voice she could hear was Gigi calling to her from her corner, telling her to finish the match.

With Vanessa’s impaired perception and movement, it wasn’t hard for Crystal to wrestle her into a headlock. Pinning the woman to the mat, she hooked their legs together to ensure that the younger Latina would be unable to squirm away. To her credit, Vanessa did her best to wriggle free of the grasp, but to no avail. Crystal’s grip was strong, keeping the crook of her elbow pulled tight over Vanessa’s throat. It only took a few seconds before Crystal felt the resistance leave Vanessa’s body and she was tapping out.

Crystal rolled off her opponent and gave her friend a small smile before turning to her corner where Gigi was already clambering through the ropes. Her leg got stuck in the middle, much to Crystal’s amusement. Watching one of the smartest people she had ever met struggle to get through a set of elastic ropes was wildly entertaining. When the brunette had finally wiggled her way into the ring, she sprinted over to Crystal, leaping into her arms and wrapping her up in a hug. 

“Crys, you did it!” Gigi squealed. Crystal’s heart fluttered at how proud Gigi sounded.

“Whoa there, Geege! Don’t crush me!” The two women giggled to themselves. The flash of a camera broke them apart. Gigi quickly removed herself from Crystal’s strong arms. She stumbled slightly when her feet hit the ground, forcing Crystal to hold the young doctor up again.

“Crys, you’re icky! You smell like sweat and you’re bleeding again!” 

“Maybe that’s because I just got finished with a match.” 

“Whatever you say, tiger. You’re buying me a new sweater.” Gigi pointed to a blood stain that had appeared on the front of her honey colored cardigan from hugging her friend. “Oh, and don’t think I didn’t see you wincing just now. You’re coming with me back with me so I can check you out.”

“Fine, I’ll buy you another mom outfit.” Crystal snickered and made her way over to shake hands with Vanessa. She could faintly make out the indignant squawk from Gigi about how “Just because I dress comfortably does _not_ make me a mom!”

After the ref had raised Crystal’s hand and declared her the unanimous winner, she and Gigi were exiting the ring as fast as possible. Neither woman wanted to deal with the slew of press that was headed their way. The flashing cameras and microphones shoved in their faces was a less than ideal situation when all the women wanted to do was go home. Unfortunately, the countless photographers and interviewers didn’t care much about what Crystal and Gigi wanted.

“Crystal! Crystal! Can we get an interview?”

“Who would you like to match up against next?” 

“Is there anything you’d like to say about tonight’s fight?”

“Crystal, would you care to comment on the nature of your relationship to Miss Goode?” 

Cringing internally at the last question, Crystal tried to formulate a diplomatic answer that would get them off her back. “Uh, no on the interview, I gotta go to medical, sorry. I’d like to fight anyone who thinks they can beat me. As for tonight’s fight, Vanessa is a lovely person who I admire and adore. We’re still friends even though I had to kick her ass. As for my relationship with Gigi, we’re just friends.” Crystal’s heart tugged painfully at the last answer she gave, but she knew she had to be professional. Gigi had walked far enough ahead of Crystal that she had escaped being trapped in by the clicking cameras and invasive lines of questioning. Crystal could just barely see the back of Gigi’s raven hair disappearing into the depths of the stadium. What she couldn’t see was the sad smile on Gigi’s lips.

  
After Crystal had finally fended off the hordes of interviewers, she made her way back through the cold cement hallways beneath the stadium and to the dressing room they had been given. Gigi was already waiting for her. Crystal tried her best not to be too obvious in her staring. Gigi had removed her cardigan and set it aside, leaving her in a small tank top that hugged her slim figure. Crystal finally came down to reality and tore her eyes away from the gorgeous woman in front of her.

”Is there a doctor in the house?” Gigi let out a surprised yelp and practically jumped out of her skin. She whirled around and lobbed a roll of bandages at Crystal, somehow managing to miss her despite the fact that she was only a few feet away.

”Fuck! Crystal, you scared me! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” 

“Sorry, Doc. I didn’t think you were such a scaredy-cat!”  
  
  


“Be careful with what you say to me. I could just leave your injuries untreated and ruin you.”  
  
  


“I wish you would ruin me!” Crystal waggled her eyebrows at Gigi, who rolled her eyes and ignored her friend’s innuendo and the pull she felt in her gut at the idea. 

“Shirt off for me, tiger. You know the drill.” Begrudgingly, Crystal pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it onto the bench. It slid off and onto the floor which earned her a glare from Gigi, who picked it up and hung it on a hanger.

Crystal thought Gigi’s borderline obsessive need for everything to be neat and tidy was adorable. Everything about her was adorable.

“Im gonna touch you and you have to tell me where it hurts, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine!” Gigi raised a disbelieving eyebrow at Crystal and pressed lightly against her skin. She continued carefully pushing down around Crystal’s ribs until the redhead flinched away from the touch. “Okay, maybe that hurt a little bit. I swear I’m fine though!”   
  


  
“Crystal, I’m not stupid. It looks like you’ve got some bruising, but it should heal up in about a week if you’re responsible with taking care of it.”   


“I hate to break it to you, but I’m probably the least responsible person you know.”

“Don’t remind me. I’m gonna rub some soothing cream into you that should help reduce the inflammation.” Gigi picked up a small tube and squeezed some of the translucent gel onto her fingers. Rubbing them together, she warmed up theointment before placing her hands on Crystal’s sides and slowly massaging it into Crystal’s skin. 

“Fuck, Gigi.” If the medic didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought Crystal’s voice held a small tremor. There was, however, an undeniable hitch in Crystal’s breath. 

“Sorry if my hands are cold.” Gigi mumbled. Crystal shook her head and waved the notion away.

“N-no, you’re fine.” 

“You have to tell me if it hurts.” Crystal would’ve found anyone else’s presence annoying at that moment, but Gigi wasn’t just anyone. Gigi was special. She always had been special to Crystal.

Once the brunette had finished rubbing the cream into Crystal’s bruises she pulled out a roll of ace bandages. This was always Crystal’s least favorite part of treatment. No matter what the injury or ailment, if it involved Gigi having to wrap Crystal, it was borderline torture. The feeling of Gigi’s skilled hands paired with her soft breath on Crystal’s skin as she focused on wrapping the bandages perfectly was beyond distracting.

Almost as soon as Gigi began to pull the wraps tight, Crystal started fidgeting and trying to wriggle away from the doctor.

“Would you stop squirming? I know they’re tight, but they have to be.” Gigi pulled the bandages taught around Crystal’s ribs.

“Yeah, I get that, but they hurt!” Crystal swatted at Gigi’s hands like she was a particularly obnoxious fly.

“What do you want me to do, Crys? You have two badly bruised ribs. Of course it hurts!” 

“I don’t know! Aren’t you a doctor? Just make it not hurt.” 

“Crystal, that’s not how medicine works. What do you want me to do about it? Kiss it better?”

“Maybe! Will that make it stop hurting?” Crystal hadn’t even registered what she had said until it was far too late.

“You’re such a baby. Come here.” Gigi wrapped her hands around Crystal’s thighs and pulled her closer. A heavy silence took over the room as Gigi’s soft hands grazed over Crystal’s stomach. If Crystal wasn’t so overloaded with the feeling of Gigi’s hands on her body, she would’ve noticed the reverent look in Gigi’s eyes. 

The only thing that Crystal could focus on was trying to keep her breathing even. Gigi’s eyes flicked up to Crystal’s for a moment before the medic leaned forward and placed a small line of small kisses just below the bandages on Crystal’s ribs. It took every shred of control that Crystal had not to let out any sound at the contact.

_ Fuck, her lips felt so good. _

“There. All better.” A rosy blush had formed on Gigi’s cheeks after she pulled back. 

“Um, yeah, all good.” Crystal hurriedly grabbed her shirt and pulled it back on. Gigi flashed her a brilliant smile and began collecting her various medical supplies, systematically filing them away in her bag.

“The bruising looks pretty bad so you’ll need to take a break from your normal routine. I’m not saying stop entirely, but if you feel any pain then stop what you’re doing and take a break. Remember to keep icing it daily.” 

“But Geege-“

“No buts. You have to take care of yourself. My tiger can’t beat everyone if she can’t remember to put some ice on herself.” Crystal was beyond grateful that Gigi wasn’t looking at her. If she had been then there would’ve been no excuse for how badly Crystal was blushing.

“Whatever. I’ll take care of them.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear it. Don’t do anything stupid before I next see you, okay?”

“No promises, Geege. No promises.” 

  
  


Less than a week later, Crystal was back at the gym, much to Gigi’s annoyance. Despite her constant berating and lecturing, Gigi was happy to see Crystal again. Seeing Crystal was the highlight of her day, not that she’d admit it to anyone other than her pillow when they were having deep heart-to-heart conversations late at night.

It’s not that she was in love with Crystal or anything, she just couldn’t see a point in her life where she wouldn’t want the older woman to be by her side...

Okay, maybe she was in love. Maybe just a little. But Crystal didn’t need to know that. In Gigi’s mind, Crystal had many more important things to think about than Gigi’s little crush that wasn’t so little anymore.

Watching Crystal work so hard to get better, stronger, and faster was one of her favorite things. Not just because it was an excuse to watch Crystal’s beautiful body pushing itself to the limits, but because she always looked so happy while she was doing it. Sure, the gym was loud and full of people, but Gigi loved it there. It was her second home. 

Both Crystal and Gigi had been so focused on training and trying to steal secretive fleeting glances that they didn’t see the newcomer in the building. They didn’t notice how she stood along the back wall and watched them both like a hawk, taking in every minuscule detail of how the two interacted.

“Crystal? Have you taken a break recently? You cant overwork yourself.” Gigi rested her hand on Crystal’s shoulder during a short water break. She marveled at the fortified muscle she could feel under Crystal’s warm skin. 

“I’m fine, Geege. I promise, scout’s honor!” Crystal held up three fingers and put her hand over her heart. 

“You’re an idiot. Just get back in that ring and take it slow, okay?” 

“Whatever you say, Geege!” Crystal gave Gigi a blinding smile and skipped off back into the ring for her sparring match against her friend Widow. Gigi sat by the ring along side Yvie, Crystal’s coach and a former featherweight champion. 

“You know, if you want to be subtle about how you feel for Crystal, you might want to rethink your strategy.” Yvie’s deep voice and even deeper laugh rumbled. A flash of heat shot across Gigi’s face. 

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, Yvie. We’re best friends, nothing more.” Gigi hated saying those words. She hated it every time she had to say them to herself or someone else. 

“If you say so. We all know the truth though, so I guess you can believe what you want.” The stunned medic was about to respond when the bell rang, signaling the end of the match. From the pleased look on Crystal’s face, it was clear that she had managed to force a tap out from Widow. 

“Alright, I think that’s enough for today. We don’t want Crystal working herself until she’s dead!” Yvie clapped her hands together and ruffled Crystal’s hair. Pretending to be offended, Crystal gasped dramatically and tried to bite Yvie’s hand. The four women dissolved into a for of laughter at the childish actions. 

“As much as I do love watching Crystal try and bite someone six inches taller than her, I have to get home.” The first thing that came to Crystal’s mind was to interrupt and ask Gigi to stay with her while she did some extra training, but she knew how much Gigi valued her alone time. 

“I’ve got to make sure that Heidi didn’t break anything.” Widow joked. Everyone nodded and encouraged her to go and check on their friend. As much as they all adored Heidi, she did have a proclivity for breaking things and getting herself into unfortunate situations.

Before Crystal knew it, she was alone in the gym. Or so she thought.

  
  
  
“You always did like pretty brunettes. She’s quite the catch.” A cold voice mused from behind Crystal. The familiar scent of cigarettes and roses infiltrated Crystal’s nose. The redhead whipped around and saw one of her least favorite people standing behind her. 

“What are you doing here? You know you’re not welcome here.”

“Chérie! Is that any way to treat an old friend? Did you forget that this was once my home too? Maybe change the locks.” The beautiful woman pouted, folding her arms over her chest and jutting her lip out. Her hair wasn’t blonde anymore. She had dyed it a pretty aquamarine color since the last time Crystal had seen her. The stupid rose tattoo on her arm was still there. A blooming rose that had been inked along the length of her arm, the flower on her upper arm and the stem reaching all the way to the tip of her middle finger. The two women had each gotten one together after they both won their first fights. Back when they were still friends. Crystal had thought about removing the little tiger that resided on her collarbone, but never actually did it. 

“You’re not my fucking friend. You lost that right a long time ago. What do you want?” Crystal’s tone was biting and angry, though it didn’t seem to phase the woman in the slightest. Nicky had always been unshakable. Ever since she had become a prominent fighter in the ring, she had a small entourage following her at all times. This time, the gaggle of women was nowhere to be seen, much to Crystal’s relief. Not that she couldn’t handle them, they were just obnoxious.

“You’re so cold, Cryssie! What happened to us? Why aren’t you happy to see me?” Nicky reached out and gave Crystal’s arm a small squeeze. Crystal bristled at the contact and swatted the hand away. 

“You know exactly what you did. Don’t act so innocent.” 

“Oh? Is this still about our dearest Dahlia?”

“You don’t deserve to say her name. She wasn’t ours. She wasn’t either of ours.” Crystal’s jaw tightened as she tried to restrain the tears that threatened to spill over. She silently cursed herself for always crying so easily. 

“Then why are you so protective? Don’t tell me you’re still in love with her! I know you’re emotional, but that’s a bit extreme, don’t you think? It’s been three years, Cryssie. Let her go already.” Nicky’s cold blue eyes stared deep into Crystal’s dark brown irises. Crystal clenched and unclenched her fists at her side. She knew that striking Nicky outside the ring would be a violation of the code of conduct. Fighters getting into unsanctioned brawls was punishable by fines, suspension, and in some cases, removal of titles. 

“I loved her. Are you happy? I was in love with her, and she left me. All because she thought you could make her happy.” 

“And I did. For a time. She got boring pretty fast. I mean, she was cute and all, don’t get me wrong, but she was just so... _boring._ She was far too easy.” Nicky’s knowing smirk set Crystal off. Lunging forward, she swung at the French fighter, who easily dodged.

“Ah, ah, ah. You know the rules, Cryssie. No fighting unless it’s sparring or an official match. It would be a shame if I had to report this to the league officials, especially after you’re finally going to get your shot!” The condescending tone only made Crystal more angry, but Nicky’s words stuck in her mind. 

“What are you talking about, _‘_ finally getting my shot’? I’m the third ranked fighter in the welterweight division, worldwide.”

  
“And that, my dear friend, is why I am here. The announcement hasn’t come out yet, but I figured I’d come do a favor for an old friend. If you win your next fight then you’ll be scheduled to challenge me. It shouldn’t be too hard to beat her, since you _are_ number three.” Nicky snickered. Anger rushed all through Crystal’s body. “Kameron is a good fighter, but you’ll take it by round four.” 

“You underestimate me, Doll. First round knockout, mark my words.” Crystal took a step closer to her former friend. She was determined not to show even a flash of fear to the older woman. She had seen firsthand how Nicky fed off of an opponent’s emotions. 

“Crys? It’s me! I forgot my phone and the door was unlocked so I just came in. Where are you? Can you hear me?” The whirlwind that was Gigi swept through the front door of the gym. The moment she noticed the visitor, she froze in place. Neither fighter missed a beat, turning to the slightly disheveled looking doctor. A predatory look that made Crystal’s body automatically gravitate to protect Gigi gleamed in Nicky’s eyes.

“Oh my god! You’re Nicky Doll! _The_ Nicky Doll! This is such an honor to meet the first ranked fighter in the world! To what do we owe the pleasure?” Gigi pushed past where Crystal had shifted to try and block her from view. Crystal groaned to herself. Gigi was always so friendly and welcoming, which was normally fine, except for the fact that Crystal had been trying to show Nicky that she too could be intimidating. 

“Bonjour, mon ange. The pleasure is all mine. I had no idea that Crystal had a girlfriend!” Nicky’s sly grin communicated everything that Crystal already knew. 

“Oh! Crystal and I aren’t dating! I’m just her medic! She’s always finding ways to get hurt so I come here during her trainings and I forgot my phone here!” Gigi’s face was covered in a soft pink blush that made Crystal wonder why she seemed so flustered all of a sudden. Maybe it was the chilly winter air. Despite being bundled in what had to be close to her weight in jackets and scarves, Gigi was still shivering.

“Really? I apologize, my mistake. If you don’t mind me saying, you’re quite beautiful. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?” Crystal was practically vibrating with rage. Not towards Gigi, but towards Nicky and her infuriatingly charming ways.

“O-oh, right! My name, yup, I have one of those! Sorry, that was rude of me not to introduce myself! I’m Gigi. Gigi Goode.” Gigi stuck her hand out to Nicky, who took hold of it and pulled her into a hug instead. Gigi squeaked in surprise, but melted into the contact. Her eyes fluttered shut and Crystal felt her heart wrench. She could practically hear Nicky’s smug grin. The French woman knew the effect she had on women, gay or not, and she used it to her advantage. 

When they pulled apart, Crystal prayed that Gigi couldn’t see the blatant displeasure on her face. Unfortunately, the brunette only had eyes for the tall beauty in front of her. It was like she was hypnotized by Nicky’s presence. There was a time when Crystal would’ve joked about Nicky having super powers, but that time was long gone.

“I’m really sorry, but I have to get going. It’s been a long day and I’m kind of tired.” Gigi pushed her glasses up her nose and back into place. Nicky gave the youngest woman a kind smile.

“You’re quite interesting, Gigi. I hope to see you again. Perhaps outside of a sweaty gym?” Crystal opened her mouth to shut down the proposition, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. The awestruck look on Gigi’s face told her that she was far too late.

“I-um, yeah! I can give you my number if that’s okay? Give me a moment!” Gigi raced off to the offices behind the gym. As soon as she was gone, Nicky rounded on Crystal with triumph glinting in her eyes.

“Oopsies. I just couldn’t help myself! I mean, it’s no wonder you’re in love with her! She’s quite cute. You have good taste, I’ll give you that. Something tells me I’m gonna keep her around for a very long time.” Crystal was about three and a half seconds from grabbing Nicky by the throat and strangling her so that she couldn’t say any more cocky bullshit.

“Nicolette, I swear to god if you lay a finger on Gigi-”

“Oh, believe me, I’ll be putting _much_ more than a finger on her. Let’s be realistic, though. What are you going to do, Chérie? Cry about it like you did with Dahlia? We all know how that ended for you.” Crystal’s face paled at the memories she had tried so hard not to think about. They both knew it was a low blow, but Nicky didn’t seem to care in the least. Crystal was about to fire back when the sound of Gigi’s heels tapping on the floors came from behind them.

“Hi! I’m back! Sorry that took a minute, it was buried under some papers!” Gigi’s head of black hair raced right past Crystal, not even saying hello to her friend. Nicky shot a coy smile to Crystal over the brunette’s head. 

“No worries, mon ange. I would wait forever as long as I knew you were coming back to me.” Crystal audibly groaned at the cheesy line. Gigi looked back at the redhead in confusion, but didn’t press the issue. When Nicky was done inputting her number, she handed the phone back to Gigi, who still looked starstruck. 

“T-thank you! I’ll text you, I promise! I really do have to get going now.” 

“Let me walk you to the door.” Nicky wrapped her arm around Gigi’s waist and guided her towards the exit. 

“Bye, Crys! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Gigi called back to the stunned woman. Nicky gave Crystal a victorious wink. The two women rounded the corner and exited the main section of the gym. Crystal couldn’t hear what they were saying, but from the giggles she recognized as Gigi’s, she decided she didn’t want to know.

A few minutes later Nicky came back around the corner, stretching her arms lazily like a cat. “She really is a sweetheart, isn’t she? Does she know how you feel?” If Crystal didn’t want to punch Nicky in the face before, she certainly did now.

“How I feel isn’t important. She’s my medic and we work together. We have a professional relationship, and that’s it.” The answer was undeniably rehearsed. Crystal said it to herself every time Gigi’s hands touched her so gently as she patched up whatever injuries she had accumulated during the fights. She knew that if she stopped saying it for even a second that she would have to face the reality of how she felt. 

“So what I’m hearing is she’s free game.”

“No, that’s not what you’re hearing. What you’re hearing is that if I see you touching her again, I’ll rip your fucking arms off!” Crystal gave Nicky a sickly sweet smile that the French woman simply laughed off as if Crystal’s threat was amusing to her.

“You know she’s not yours, Chérie. Women like her deserve the best, and at the end of the day, I’m just better than you.” The words stung a lot more than Crystal would like to admit. She knew it was true. When they used to train together under the same coach, Nicky was the one who always received the most praise. It hurt, but Crystal tried not to let it show. In every aspect of their lives, people had always told Nicky she was better. They had told her she was prettier, smarter, more athletic, and more talented.

Whether it was in the gym, in school, or when the two women used to go out to bars after training to find a good time, people had always preferred Nicky.

  
  


“Don’t bother trying to stop me, Crystal. First I’m going to take your girl and then I’m going to beat you on the international stage.” Nicky turned her back on Crystal and grabbed her coat. Crystal stormed after the blue haired woman and grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to turn around and look at her.

“You know what? _No._ No you won’t. You might be ranked first, but you know just as well as I do that I have what it takes.” Nicky cocked an obnoxiously perfect eyebrow and pursed her lips. 

“Chérie, don’t try to win. You’ll only embarrass yourself. I’ve won everything there is to win already and you’ve barely proven yourself a functioning adult.”

”I don’t need to prove anything to anyone, and certainly not to someone like you.” Crystal took a step closer to Nicky. The French fighter remained unfazed.

”You’re not going to beat me, Chérie.”

“You’re resting on your laurels.”

“Maybe, but I’m also going to be resting my legs on either side of your medic’s head.” Nicky gave Crystal a quick pat on the head as if she were a dog before she turned on her heel and strode out the door, humming to herself without a care in the world. The sound of a text pinging came from Crystal’s duffel bag. With a deep sigh she rummaged through the sweaty clothes and crumpled up power bar wrappers until she found the device.

**Geege:** _Omg! I can’t believe I just met Nicky Doll! Why didn’t you tell me you two were friends?!_

**Crystal!:** _bc we aren’t_

**Geege:** _Why did she come to the gym if she isn’t your friend?_

Crystal rolled her eyes and punched a nearby speed bag. She was so fucking tired of talking about little miss perfect Nicky Doll.

**Crystal!:** _bc she’s a shitty person don’t talk to her_

**Geege:** _You’re acting weird Crys. Is everything okay? Are your ribs bothering you again? You get grumpy when your injuries are hurting you._

Grimacing, Crystal ran her fingers over the bandages on her rib cage. Gigi had told her not to push herself too hard for the rest of the week. Crystal respected the young doctor’s diagnosis, but of course, she continued to go all-out. The injury had been an annoyance at best, but Gigi stressed hyper vigilance around managing any type of ailment.

**Crystal!:** _my ribs r fine_

**Geege:** _Are you sure? I could take a look at them if you wanted. Injuries aren’t something to avoid._

The idea of Gigi’s hands on Crystal’s body when it wasn’t absolutely necessary was terrifying. While the Latina wasn’t a child and did have some semblance of self control, it was always in painfully short supply when she was with Gigi.

**Crystal!:** _no I told u I’m fine_

Crystal dropped her phone back in her bag with a sigh. She tossed aside her hoodie and grabbed the hand wraps from inside her bag. In a process that was nearly ritualistic, Crystal began wrapping the cotton and elastic around her hands and wrists. This was going to be a very long next few months. All Crystal could do was hope that she had what it takes to become a true fighter.

**Author's Note:**

> And there’s chapter one! I promise everything will be okay...
> 
> After it gets worse :)
> 
> Come chat on Tumblr: @ForeignMooney


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